This application corresponds to and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 with respect to Japanese Patent Application No. Hei-9-205615 filed on Jul. 31, 1997 and Japanese Patent Application No. Hei-9-277775 filed on Oct. 9, 1997, the entire content of both applications being incorporated herein by reference
The present invention generally relates to a device and method for processing messages. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a device and method for use in, for example, a vehicle for processing messages sent from outside, such as electronic mail (e-mail), news information, weather information, traffic information and messages generated by the vehicle navigation system, through the use of a read aloud function.
Communication systems which utilize computer networks have become increasingly popular in recent years. In addition, mobile communication systems which are able to exchange electronic mail messages (e-mail messages) through the use of a portable computer, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), an on-vehicle computer or other portable communication devices have been proposed. A device which reads messages aloud has also been proposed to help a user, for example a vehicle driver, understand the contents of the messages without looking at a display.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 9-23273 describes a device that can read e-mail messages aloud. The device is able to compose e-mail messages and send them to other terminals, and is also able to receive e-mail messages sent from other terminals. The device has a voice synthesizer to generate voice signals from a loudspeaker in accordance with the text data of the received e-mail messages. By generating voice signals the user can understand the contents of the e-mail messages without viewing a display device. The device is also outfitted with a voice navigation device to generate voice guidance messages, for example where the vehicle should turn, to guide the driver along a route to a particular destination.
However, the device described above is susceptible of certain limitations and drawbacks. For example, when the device receives messages from different sources or senders and reads those messages aloud in the same voice tone, the user cannot easily recognize whose message is being read reading aloud. Even if a first message from one person has been read aloud and a second message from another person is beginning to be read aloud, it isn""t easy for the user to understand the end of the first message and the start of the second message because the two messages are read in the same voice tone. Therefore, the user may confuse the sender of each message unless the user confirms, through visual observation of the display, who sent the message.
Thus, one of the drawbacks and disadvantages associated with this device is that the device reading the message is not well suited to distinguishing between the messages from different sources or senders and so the user may misunderstand the source or sender of a particular message.
Thus, a need exists for a system that can process messages and provide an audio read-out of such messages in a way that allows the user to readily discern different messages from different sources or senders.
A need also exists for such a system that allows the user to readily discern different messages from different sources or senders.
It would also be desirable to provide a system that includes a read aloud device and a voice navigation device, wherein the system allows the user to easily understand which device is generating a given message.
A further need exists for a system that includes a read aloud device and a voice navigation device, wherein the system prevents the user from simultaneously hearing one message of the navigation device and another message of the reading-aloud device.
According to one aspect of the invention, a message processing device includes a receiving device that receives sent messages, a voice tone memory which stores a plurality of different voice tones, and an allotting device which allots one of the voice tones stored in the voice tone memory to at least one message received by the receiving device and allots a different voice tone stored in the voice tone memory to another message received by the receiving device. The system then reads aloud the one message in the one voice tone and reads aloud the other message in the different voice tone.
Another aspect of the present invention involves a message processing device for a vehicle that includes a receiving device for receiving outside information sent from outside, a navigation controller for providing voice guidance information to guide the driver of the vehicle, and a device for allotting one voice tone to the outside information and for allotting a different voice tone to the voice guidance information.
An additional aspect of the present invention involves a message processing device for a vehicle that includes a receiving device for receiving outside information sent from outside, a voice tone memory for storing plural different voice tones, and a voice reader for reading aloud the outside information by using one voice tone stored in the voice tone memory. A voice navigator providing voice guidance information to the driver of the vehicle and an adjusting device adjusts the output timing of when the voice guidance information is read aloud and when the electrical information is read aloud to prevent the voice guidance information and the electrical information from being read aloud simultaneously.
Another aspect of the present invention pertains to a message processing method that involves receiving messages sent from outside, allotting one voice tone to at least one of the messages and allotting a different voice tone to a different message, and then reading aloud the one message in the one voice tone and reading aloud the different message in the different voice tone.
According to another aspect of the invention, a message processing method used in a vehicle involves receiving outside information from an outside source, reading aloud the outside information using a first voice tone, and reading aloud voice guidance information to a driver of the vehicle to facilitate navigation of the vehicle through use of a second voice tone that is different from the first voice tone.
Another aspect of the invention involves a message processing method for use in a vehicle that includes receiving outside information sent from an outside source, reading aloud the outside information and reading aloud voice guidance information to a driver of the vehicle to provide guidance for driving the vehicle. The timing of when the outside information and the voice guidance information are read aloud is adjusted to prevent the outside information and the voice guidance information from being read aloud at the same time.
According to a still further aspect of the invention, a computer readable medium includes a message processing program that receives a message from an outside source, reads aloud the message from the outside source using a first voice tone, and reads aloud a message from a second source different from the outside source using a second voice tone that is different from the first voice tone.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a computer readable medium includes a message processing program that receives outside information messages sent from an outside source, reads aloud the outside information messages, and reads aloud voice guidance information to a driver of a vehicle to provide guidance information for driving the vehicle. The message processing program adjusts the output timing for reading aloud the outside information messages and the output timing for reading aloud the voice guidance information to prevent the outside information messages and the voice guidance information messages from being read aloud at the same time.